Gov. Cox announces conservation focus areas

Published 07-29-21

At a press conference July 29, Gov. Spencer Cox was joined by water districts and St. George Mayor Michele Randall to highlight water-saving efforts underway around the state and announce conservation program expansions. Although drought conditions are discouraging, many Utahns are taking water-saving actions at their homes, businesses, communities, and industries.

Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District was the first in the state to offer rebates for turf park strip conversions with the popular “Flip Your Strip” program. Today, Central Utah Water Conservancy District and Weber Basin Water Conservancy District also launched turf removal programs designed to incentivize homeowners to remove grass that doesn’t serve an active purpose. (Visit UtahWaterSavers.com to find out about programs and rebates in your area.)

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Great Salt Lake reaches historic low

Published 07-24-21

According to the USGS, the southern portion of the Great Salt Lake is at a new historic low, with average daily water levels dropping about an inch below the previous record set in 1963, according to U.S. Geological Survey information collected at the SaltAir gauge location.  

“Based on current trends and historical data, the USGS anticipates water levels may decline an additional foot over the next several months,” said USGS Utah Water Science Center data chief Ryan Rowland. “This information is critical in helping resource managers make informed decisions on Great Salt Lake resources. You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” 

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Great Salt Lake nears historic low

Published 07-03-21

Reports that the Great Salt Lake has dropped below its historic low elevation of 4,191.35 are premature. The Utah Division of Water Resources is following the lake’s elevation closely and expects it will drop below that point in the coming days.

Conditions like wind, inflow and evaporation can cause the lake’s elevation to fluctuate. Sometimes those swings are extreme. To account for this, the division evaluates daily averages rather than the instantaneous readings recorded every 15-minutes. Taking this approach provides a more accurate reading rather than a single snapshot in time.

This pending milestone is concerning. The value of the Great Salt Lake to the state of Utah is significant as it provides economic, environmental and ecological benefits. Utah is growing faster than any other state in the country, and water demand is at an all-time high. Coordination and cooperation are key to solving this unique challenge. It’s important that we maintain a unified front between policy leaders, industry, wildlife and all stakeholders to balance the state’s growth with the health of the lake.

More information

Gov. Cox announces third drought Executive Order, fireworks ban on state lands

Published 06-09-21

SALT LAKE CITY (June 8, 2021) – Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox issued another executive order further restricting water use at state facilities. He also announced a prohibition on fireworks for all state and unincorporated lands.

“All indicators show this could be the worst drought year on record,” Gov. Cox said. “Utah state government is leading the way by cutting back on water use at all state facilities, but all of us — from private businesses to local governments to individuals — need to conserve water now more than ever.” 

Cox announced Executive Order 2021-10, which requires lawn watering at some state facilities to be reduced to two days per week. A previous order allowed three days per week.

He also announced that the State Forester and the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands issued an order banning fireworks on all state and unincorporated private lands. This order is effective today. The same goes for SITLA lands: No fireworks will be allowed on SITLA lands this summer.

Cox was joined by Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Commissioner Craig Buttars, who described the effect the extreme drought is having on agribusiness, and Deputy Director for Division of Water Resources Candice Hasenyager, who discussed the impact on the state’s waterways. Also attending were Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, Jamie Barnes, interim director of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, and Jeff Rassmussen, director of the Division of Parks and Recreation.

Executive Order

Utah Colorado River Commissioner statement on Lake Powell elevation forecast

Published 05-20-21

The Bureau of Reclamation’s May 24-Month Study forecast of Lake Powell elevations, while not surprising, is certainly concerning for all water users in the Colorado River Basin. The Upper Colorado River Commission, which includes Utah along with Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico is working closely with the Bureau of Reclamation on a drought response plan that could adjust operations at Lake Powell and upstream reservoirs to keep Lake Powell from dropping below critical levels.  

Maintaining Lake Powell elevations at or above 3,525 feet helps to preserve hydropower production at Glen Canyon Dam. Drought response planning is a critical component of Colorado River management, including the operations at Lake Powell and Lake Mead. – Gene Shawcroft, Utah Colorado River Commissioner

For more information, read the Upper Colorado River Commission press release.

Weekly lawn watering guide moves to new site

Published 05-07-21

The Utah Division of Water Resources has launched a new water conservation website. Our popular weekly lawn watering guide can be found from the main menu of the new site and now lives on this page: https://conservewater.utah.gov/weekly-lawn-watering-guide/

If you’ve been automatically linking to the old site, please update your link. We have temporarily created some redirects to help ensure your current links are not broken, but you will want to be sure you are pointing directly to our current page and/or embedded image. If you haven’t been linking to it, we invite you to consider it! It’s a great tool that, if followed, will help stretch the water supply. 

About the Guide 
Did you know that eliminating one watering saves about 3,000 gallons for the average quarter-acre yard! To customize watering for your area, the Division of Water Resources publishes a Weekly Lawn Watering Guide on our Facebook page and online that recommends watering based on weather patterns and evapotranspiration rates in each county. The guide takes extensive data and simplifies it into how many days to water each week. (Microclimates may require adjustments to your watering schedule.)

With all of the state in drought, watering efficiently is more critical than ever. Follow the guide to save water – and money – and avoid the problems that can accompany overwatering like pests and disease. We estimate that Utah could save more than 20 billion gallons of water every summer if everyone were to water according to the guide! Also, make sure your sprinklers are property adjusted to water plants, not pavement. Do your part to Slow The Flow.

Using water wisely is always recommended, but with 100% of the state experiencing drought, it’s critical. Thank you for helping raise awareness of this precious resource! 

Gov. Cox orders water conservation at state facilities

Published 05-03-21

In response to ongoing concerns about extremely dry conditions, Gov. Spencer J. Cox issued an executive order forbidding irrigation at state facilities between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., requiring that sprinklers are shut off during rain storms and making sure landscape watering systems are operating efficiently.

Executive Order 2021-10 also encourages local governments to implement similar water restrictions on public landscaping, urges irrigation companies to delay the start of the irrigation season and asks all Utahns to reduce water use by taking shorter showers, converting turf to waterwise landscaping and replacing appliances with water-efficient models.

“Last year, Utah experienced one of the driest and hottest years on record and we anticipate another tough drought year ahead,” Gov. Cox said. “State government is committed to doing its part to conserve water and we encourage all Utahns to use this most precious resource wisely and sparingly.”

Executive Order 2021-10 is effective immediately

Gov. Cox issues drought executive order

Published 03-17-21

With 100% in the moderate drought category and 90% of the state experiencing extreme drought, today Gov. Spencer J. Cox issued an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency due to drought conditions. This declaration allows drought-affected communities, agricultural producers and others to officially begin the process that may provide access to state or federal emergency resources.

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Bear Lake could store additional water if operations changed

Published 12-22-20

Can more water be stored in Bear Lake by adjusting flood control operations? Idaho, Utah and PacifiCorp worked with reservoir modeling experts at the University of Colorado to answer this question. The technical report “Impacts on Bear Lake Storage under Alternative High-Runoff Management Operations” published today, summarizes findings about how different flood control operations can raise lake levels and increase storage.

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